Sine Qua Non Rule
What Does Sine Qua Non Rule Mean?
Sine qua non rule refers to the causal relationship between an act and an injury. The causality might not be direct, but is still related to the injury upon investigation. This rule is often associated with civil rather than criminal cases.
Insuranceopedia Explains Sine Qua Non Rule
Sine qua non is a Latin phrase which means "without which not" when translated in English. Currently, it means an indispensable condition for something such as in the sentence, "Logging is the sine qua non of deforestation".
In civil proceedings, it is the way of proving that an act, though seemingly unrelated, is responsible for an injury. A child who plays with a his father's cigarette lighter and causes damage to a neighbor's property might be traced in court to the father for being negligent with a dangerous equipment (the lighter). Instances like this can cause the injured to seek claims in court. It is a risk that can possibly be covered by a liability insurance.
In the history of insurance, sine qua non has played a role in the crafting of insurance policies involving accidents.
